


The Legend of Zelda: Age of Calamity

by Outer_HavenA113



Category: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Video Game), The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Infrequent Updates, No beta we're winging it folks, Pre-Calamity (Legend of Zelda), Prequel, Reverse fix-it, Slight Canon Divergence, so sorry in advance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:40:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27840148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Outer_HavenA113/pseuds/Outer_HavenA113
Summary: For generations stories were told of the day it came. The day the skies burned crimson and the air was so thick with the ash and soot that it would seem to envelop you, clutch you in its grasp and choke the life out of you.The Calamity approaches, and a messenger from the future prophesizes doom for Hyrule. With the fate of the Kingdom at stake, Princess Zelda and her Champions work against the odds to change their future. But they will soon learn that fate is not so easily changed.A fic where I attempt to rework Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity into a proper prequel to Breath of the Wild.
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 58





	1. Prologue

For generations stories were told of the day it came. The day the skies burned crimson and the air was so thick with the ash and soot that it would seem to envelop you, clutch you in its grasp and choke the life out of you.

They spoke of the castle, once a beacon of prosperity and power brought to its knees in a matter of hours.

They spoke of its roar, the thunderous growl that raged across the country and intermingled with the lashing, pouring storms that only seemed to stoke the fires.

They spoke of heroes fallen, their very weapons turned against them in a sad, cruel bid to wrench every last ounce of hope out of the trembling, fleeing masses.

The very ground shook on that fateful day, when death cleaved its vengeance over Hyrule, silencing the wailing screams of its citizens with sparks of blue that shot like deadly lightning across the night sky. Buildings and settlements, towns and homes and lives reduced to rubble under The Calamity’s wrath.

The very foundation of the castle shook with the destruction that was wrought. For decades after people would point to its ruins as they recalled the events of that tragic day, huddled around the cooking pot of a stable as the fear and the despair rushed back to engulf their psyche. 

Yet within those castle walls rested a relic that sat forgotten in a simple wooden box, high atop the shelf of a room littered with abandoned research and encased in dust. The rumblings of the ongoing carnage outside rocked the study, sending tomes and journals clattering to the floor in a heap. The box trembled and keeled over, the lid jostling aside to offer a glimpse at the now lifeless relic contained within. 

But amid the destruction was a final cry, one born of love and desperation, and the golden light that followed it. A beacon, one final hope shone out across the land from a field littered with the metallic husks of a final stand, where one traded his own life for that of another. Encased within her golden glow, a princess made her plea, and cast her silent wish upon the holy gift she had been entrusted with.

_“I must protect everyone!”_

And in answering her prayer, out of the box erupted a ray of light that bounced off the walls and shone out through the study’s open windows, instilling life within the relic.

It came to life, its singular eyepiece gleaming a calming baby blue. With a mechanical limb, it heaved the lid off of itself, jostling its wooden prison until it toppled forwards. 

It carried itself on three spider-like appendages, its body’s white coloring and ovular shape bearing a striking resemblance to that of an egg. It let out a curious beep, utterly unaware of how exactly it came to be trapped in a box atop a research tower.  
It scaled the desk in front of it to peer out of the window, shoving the creaking shutters aside to be met with what could only be described as a nightmare come to life, its surroundings almost indiscernible amidst the smoke and the darkness that engulfed it.

But for however clueless it was as to where it woke up, it knew very well as to why. It had a wish to grant, and there was no sense to keep her waiting. Its beeps and chirps approximated an ancient song, and in front of it opened a gateway through time. A gateway back, to prevent everything.

To protect everyone.

A resounding crash was heard from the entrance to the study, drawing the relic’s attention, just as an explosion tore through the door, sending a burst of rubble and debris hurtling out the window. The relic was barely able to keep itself tethered to the window sill, hoisting itself back up only to come face to face with another ancient relic, its purpose twisted by the immortal evil that ravaged the land.

Its imposing frame prevented it from entering the small room as it tried in vain to force its way through the doorway. Unable to force its way through, the automaton trained a magenta eye on its miniature brethren, laser reticle focused on thwarting its mission before it could properly begin. 

The miniature relic let out a fearful chirp, leaping towards the swirling gateway in a bid to escape, narrowly missing its death sentence as a blue beam sailed harmlessly underneath it.

As the relic hurtled through time, pools of the corrupting malice that had infected its larger counterpart were torn from their host by the gateway, following it’s path through time.

They spoke of the Champions, a diminutive Guardian who traveled through time, and the Great Calamity they faced.


	2. Warriors of Hyrule

For the knights of Hyrule, the blaring horns of oncoming battle were becoming an all too common occurrence. But even still, to hear the alarm sound from atop the spires of Hyrule Castle itself was something many had thought impossible.

Shouts and orders rang out, barely audible over the metallic clatter of hastily thrown on armor and the retrieval of broadswords off of racks. 

Amid the chaos of hasty preparations for battle, there was one among them who hurriedly searched the barracks for an item of great importance. He dodged and weaved between the crowds of soldiers, many looking down at him with expressions ranging from disgust, jealousy, to outright disapproval. 

“Hey kid, where’re you goin’? Battle’s out that way!” one shouted after him. He didn’t reply, continuing on his course without so much as a glance towards the man, though they all supposed that was usual behavior from him. As much as the other knights despised the fact that a kid had been allowed to join their ranks, the more infuriating part was that he deserved to be there.

The kid had been a prodigy with the sword, able to best fully grown knights at an age as young as seven. There were even rumors that he had bested a Gerudo warrior at the age of ten, though many still held doubts about that accolade in particular. By the time he was twelve, he was inducted as a knight in the Hylian army, becoming the youngest knight in Hyrule’s history. In the five years since then he had become the most accomplished swordsman in all of Hyrule, master of multiple weapon disciplines, and four-time champion of the annual Midwinter eating contest. 

But even amongst his numerous accomplishments, there were many who just couldn’t help but scrutinize him. After all, the more people notice you, the more people there are to watch you fail.

And as he reached the barracks, checking under every table and bench, clearly searching for something of importance, those judgemental eyes bored into him. He supposed it was warranted in a way. It was a knight's duty to be ready for action at a moment's notice, stationed at the castle or not. And of course the one time he was called to service unprompted he couldn't find his-

"Looking for something, Link?"

Link whipped around, standing straight as an arrow and stiff as a board. He knew who it was the second he heard that familiar voice, and as Captain Arn stood before him he looked upon Link with a schooled expression, meeting his eyes with an icy gaze.

"I, um-"

"You don't have your helmet," Arn stated bluntly.

Link subconsciously brought his hand up to his messy blonde locks, which at the moment should've been hidden under the metallic helmet customary of the Knights of Hyrule.

"I'm sorry, I-I was in the cafeteria when the alarm went off and I left it in here but-"

"A knight must always be ready for combat at a moment's notice. You haven't forgotten your taken oath have you? Or are such things so readily forgotten at your age?"

Link averted his gaze down to his boots. "I'm sorry, father."

“Remember that you have a reputation to uphold, not simply your own but that of your family. You can’t keep treating your duty as some sort of childish game.”

“Yes father, I understand.”

Arn gave a brief nod in acknowledgement. “Now, get into formation. We will be sent off at any moment now.”

Link gave a small nod back, Arn watching as his son marched off into the throes of battle. Sometimes he wished that Link hadn’t followed in his footsteps, that he hadn’t placed a sword in that rambunctious child’s hand and watched as the world grabbed hold of him and thrust him head first into a life of bloodshed. But as much as he wished, he couldn’t change the past.

After all, who truly could?

* * *

Looking upon the soldiers who stood at attention below him, it was already clear that they were outnumbered. He hoped that the messenger who relayed news of the attack was simply exaggerating, but beyond the castle walls marched the largest congregation of monsters the King had ever seen. If a man were to tell him ten years ago that on this day he would be mounting the castle’s defences for a full scale assault, that man would’ve been given an escort to his chambers to sleep off his inebriated delusions.

Had it really only been ten years? It felt like a lifetime ago, before stress had drained the color from his hair and the life from his eyes, and he could enjoy Hyrule’s peace with his wife on his arm and his daughter bouncing on his lap.

But now was no time to reminisce. He had a Kingdom to protect.

King Rhoam stepped forward to address his army, his looming presence drawing them to attention. His eyes sat sunken and serious under his golden crown, his stark white beard cascading over his imposing figure that, accompanied by the intricate patterns decorating his flowing robes, gave him an undeniable air of commanding grandeur.

"Listen well, soldiers of Hyrule. In our long history, we have scarcely faced a threat of this magnitude," the King began, his voice rough and worn yet enrapturing, his soldiers standing at attention, their eyes firmly locked onto his towering figure. 

"The years have passed quickly since Calamity Ganon's revival was prophesied. Yes we have unearthed the Divine Beasts, and filled volumes with our knowledge of ancient relics."

"But a barricade of books will not protect us, because this way surges a horde like we have never faced before. Even now the enemy is clawing at our throat- for Hyrule Castle itself!" At these words King Rhoam, in a sensational display of power, grasped a Royal Claymore in a single hand, running the blade across the horizon as if he meant to separate the earth and sky themselves.

"We must exterminate the monsters roaming Hyrule Field. Thus will begin our renewed effort to stop the Calamity!"

"Here, now, go forth! And be brave for your kingdom!" Then, still only using one hand to grip the Royal Claymore, the King raised the sword above his head, prompting his subjects to do the same. 

They let out a resounding warcry as their blades pierced the heavens, apprehension purged from their minds as they rallied at destiny's doorstep. The time for peaceful preparation was over, and Hyrule sat at the cusp of a new age.

And as Hyrule's knights marched out to battle, the war for Hyrule's fate began in more ways than one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so as I mentioned in the tags, infrequent updates. Apologies for that, but I do intend to keep working on this story. Please leave thoughts and suggestions in the comments below. As you might've guessed, this is a one-man show with no beta so I'd appreciate the feedback! Thanks for reading!


	3. The Battle of Hyrule Field

“Fire the cannons-now! Blast those monsters off the plain!” Synchronized explosions rippled across the battlefield, punctuated by the high-pitched screeches of Bokoblins as they were sent flying into the air, their bodies dissipating into purple smoke. 

Even far out of range from their vantage point at the sacred grounds, the burst of cannonfire was almost deafening to Link and caused an unpleasant ringing in his ears. Yet another reason why he missed his helmet.

The wave of destruction that erupted on the battlefield thinned out the enemies’ numbers generously, but even still the Bokoblin horde threatened to advance on their defensive line.

“Knights, keep the throng at bay while we reload the cannons!” a commander yelled while the gunners hurried about reloading their artillery.

“You heard the man! _Charge!_ ” Not missing a beat, the knights raised their swords and charged into battle. Link, however, kept his sword sheathed and his shield strapped to his back, instead using the allotted freedom of movement to sprint ahead of the pack. The Bokoblins noticed Link’s approach, however the dim-witted creatures failed to so much as raise their weapons before he was bearing down on them.

In one clean motion Link unsheathed his sword and brought it down in a vertical slash across one’s chest, its pained howl cut short by its abrupt vanishment, leaving nothing but a crooked horn behind. Not letting up Link unleashed a flurry of slashes upon the surrounding horde, sending screeching Bokoblins flying into each other.

The others took advantage of the breach Link had created, cutting down the remaining opposition. But for however many monsters met their end with his relentless sword strikes, reinforcements continued to pour in from within the Garrison.

“Shut the gate! Prevent their retreat!” a captain’s orders rang out over the carnage. In a matter of moments the Garrison’s gate slammed shut, leaving the enemy trapped and vulnerable.

“We’ve got them now! Fire!” Despite the horde of monsters surrounding him, Link immediately hit the dirt alongside the other knights. A Bokoblin sought to take advantage of this, raising its club high into the air, preparing to bring it down over Link’s exposed head.

That moment was interrupted however, as a cannonball sailed into the Bokoblins bulbous head, sending the creature flying along with it. Dirt rained onto Link as the Bokoblin horde around him fell under the bombardment of cannonfire.

Slightly dazed, Link pushed himself into a sitting position shaking his head as the world around him came back into focus. 

“You alright down there, kid?” Inwardly cringing at his nonconsensual nickname, Link held a hand up to shield his eyes from the sun’s bright glare as he looked up at the voice’s source. Despite being an adult by law, his adolescent beginnings and below average height had permanently stuck Link with the title of “kid.” He didn’t even know if many of the other knights knew his real name by now, though he had a sneaking suspicion that this knight in particular didn’t. The knight in question was of somewhat stockier build, though even sitting down Link could already discern that the knight was taller than him. Link gave a brief nod as he hauled himself off the ground, meeting the knight’s gaze as he eyed him with a kind of condescending, bemused smile.

“Say, uh, kid? Did ya notice you’re kind of missing your..?” The knight trailed off, instead lightly tapping the helmet on his head to get his point across. Link had to actively fight the urge to roll his eyes. As if he could’ve somehow not noticed he hadn’t had a helmet placed on his noggin this entire time. The interaction was, thankfully, cut short however, when another cry rang out across the battlefield.

“Monsters to the northwest! They’re trying to get behind the cannons!”

“You hear that men? Make haste to the outpost, cut off their assault before it has a chance to get started!” With the Captain’s orders, they began another mad dash across the battlefield, though this time Link made it a point to stay with the group. That Bokoblin was a close call, and while he doubted that whatever wounds inflicted would be fatal, he didn’t want to spend months in the infirmary because he had been struck down by a Bokoblin of all things. They’d never let him live that down…

This would prove to be a wise decision, as arriving at the outpost revealed not only a horde of Bokoblins, but a Moblin leading the charge. Now, while Moblins were far from the smartest monsters you could run across, they packed a big punch and bigger weapons, this one's spiked boko club being no exception. One solid hit from that thing and you were a goner. The beast took notice of the approaching knights, and it let out a bestial roar in anticipation for battle. 

While the other knights broke off to deal with the surrounding Bokoblins, Link faced off against the Moblin directly. It locked eyes with him, soulless, glowing orbs meeting his with an almost mindless intent to kill. Sword and shield at the ready Link kept a steady distance from the creature, neither making a move as they sized each other up. 

It was the monster who made the first move, as it spun its club in its hand in preparation for a forward thrust. Link easily dodged the telegraphed attack, leaping behind it to strike at its legs. More annoyed by the sword strikes than anything, the Moblin turned around with a wild backhand swing of his club that Link had to quickly duck underneath. The Moblin then tried to get at the pesky knight at its feet by kicking out with its disproportionately stubby leg. Link was ready for this, however, and with his shield he parried the attack, throwing the Moblin off balance as its arms flailed in an attempt to keep its balance. His opponent wide open Link slashed across the monster's chest with his sword, it letting out a pained cry in response. Injured and angered, the Moblin forewent any tactical strategy, raising its club high above its head, eager to crush the little knight into a paste. Its tactless haste proved to be its undoing, as the powerful swing collided with nothing but the ground beneath it, Link having lept to the side at the last moment. The Moblin hurriedly attempted to raise its club again, but found itself unable to, the weapon lodged into the ground. Link wasted no time. Utilizing its vulnerable position he sliced clean through the creature’s gaunt neck, not even a screech of pain escaping the monster before its body evaporated into purple smoke.

Link wiped the sweat from his brow, taking a moment to rest after the battle. It was times like this that he began to resent the knights’ bulky armor, in spite of the doubtless protection that it offered.

“It appears we have a Moblin slayer in our midst." Link turned to meet the eyes of another knight, the red plume identifying him as a captain. Link vaguely recognized the man as Captain Simmons of the 31st division. He had a short, grey beard peeking out from underneath his helmet, wrinkles on his face creasing as he fixed Link with an impressed smirk. "I must say, that was exemplary swordsmanship sir..?"

"Um, Link, sir."

"Ah, now that I get a good look at you, you're Arn's boy aren't you?" Link gave an affirmative nod. "Amazing to witness such famed skill, and yet at such a young age! I hope you know we're expecting great things from you Sir Link."

Though it was obviously meant to be good natured, Link felt aggravated at the Captain's frankly unnecessary reminder. It seemed that was all anyone could ever talk to him about. Ever since being knighted he was reminded time and time again about how many people were watching him, waiting for the prodigy knight to slip up and ruin the reputation of both himself and his father. 

Though, like usual, he didn’t voice these thoughts. Instead he simply gave a polite nod in response and the Captain seemed to be satisfied at that.

“Captain!” a messenger’s voice rang out as he hastily approached them. “The Princess’s aide has been sighted on the battlefield!”

“The Sheikah?” 

“Yes sir. Give the word and we can escort her to safety.”

“No need,” Captain Simmons waved his hand dismissively, “she is more than capable of handling herself. What we need to focus on is clearing out the Garrison.” He motioned to the messenger with a vague flick of the wrist, who somehow properly interpreted the gesture’s dubious meaning as he produced a piece of parchment, inkwell, and quill from a small carrying bag slung across his shoulder.

“I want you to write a message to the other Captains. Tell them to coordinate a strike on three fronts, force the monsters to the southeast, just outside of the Garrison. Got that?” The messenger finished his hasty scribbles and neatly rolled the parchment, securing it with a blue ribbon.

“If I may Captain, for what reason can’t I simply relay this message directly?” the messenger asked, a puzzled look decorating his face as he handed the parchment to the Captain.

“This needs to be a unified assault. All three groups must be prepared to strike simultaneously,” Simmons explained, turning to face Link, much to his confusion. “That is where you come in, Sir Link. I ask that you relay this message to Captain Rourke on the southwest side of the Garrison. With your level of swordsmanship I trust the Bokoblin infestation will be a non-issue. Is that clear?” Link responded with another simple nod.

“Excellent. Now, you all have your orders, so move out! Lay waste to the monster scum!” Link wasted no time, taking off in the opposite direction of Simmons’s men. Their warcry faded into the background as he cut across the retaken outpost towards the Garrison. He chose to ignore the small band of Chuchus that lined the main path, as they really posed no threat unless charged with elemental powers. 

What he couldn’t ignore, however, was the second outpost, which was swarming with Bokoblins, one marginally bigger than the forces it was commanding. Well, as far as coordinated commands went when it came to the creatures. It wielded a crude wooden spear, using the weapon to keep the attacking Knights at bay, preventing them from eradicating the smaller Bokoblins in the area. Link crouched down behind them, the chaos of battle acting as the perfect cover for a sneak attack. Unsheathing his sword, Link carefully made his way behind the large Bokoblin. In a singular motion Link stabbed it through the back, a quick wail of pain silenced by its swift vaporization into purple smoke and monster parts. The surrounding horde was both startled and confused by their leader’s sudden death, though they didn’t have much time to react as the Knights used the opportunity to break their line and retake the outpost.

They seemed grateful, but Link’s mission, and admittedly his trepidation at yet another heaping of praise onto him, kept him from receiving thanks as he made his way into the Garrison.

He entered the square, relieved that there seemed to be a lack of monster activity in the area. Allowing himself a brief reprieve, Link sheathed his sword and surveyed the area. He was just about ready to continue on when something unusual caught his eye. Resting lifelessly against a rock was what appeared to be a Sheikah relic, encased in a shell of stark white, bearing a resemblance to that of an egg. Crouching down to get a better look, its spindly spider limbs led him to believe it was another Guardian, however the ones that littered the castle grounds were all much larger than this little one appeared to be. But the strangest part about this relic was where it was in the first place. The Garrison was far from any excavation site that he was aware of, and he knew the Sheikah to be much too careful to leave something like it just lying around.

Link’s line of thinking was interrupted, however, when he heard the approaching sounds of thundering footsteps. His head shot up to meet the sight of a band of Bokoblins in pursuit of a young Sheikah woman who clutched what looked to be some kind of tablet to her chest. She stumbled, her conical hat tumbling off her head to rest on her flowing silver hair, which stretched all the way down to her thigh. Her crimson eyes met his, and she made a sharp turn in his direction.

“You! Help! _Woa-oh!_ ” In her haste the woman tripped over herself, stumbling to the ground and flinging the tablet into the air. With a soft ping it activated in mid-air, inadvertently communicating with the dormant Guardian, its singular eyepiece alighting in a brilliant blue. It immediately began communicating with the surrounding technology, the tablet and...something else. Something hidden deep underground, left undiscovered. And it began to unearth it.

Link unsheathed his sword and rushed over, snatching the tablet out of the air with his left palm. Though as he approached, a sudden rumbling could be felt from underneath his feet. He staggered in his approach, struggling to regain his footing. The Sheikah woman looked around in confusion.

"Why is this happening?!" she exclaimed. Though initially confused by the sudden tremors, the Bokoblins quickly regained their composure and rushed towards the pair, clubs raised high into the air. Link stepped forward to meet it in combat, but before he could a surge of rubble erupted from underneath the Bokoblins' feet. Directly in front of them, a Sheikah construct rose from underground, destroying the Bokoblin horde in its wake. They looked up in awe as it grew, rising high into the air before finally coming to a stop, looming over the two.

“It’s... a tower?” the Sheikah asked, mesmerized by the structure before her. The effect was much the same on Link. He had seen some Sheikah technology strewn about the castle grounds, but this was on another level entirely. His ears perked up at the sound of light scuttling behind him. Turning to it revealed the Guardian from before, now activated and surveying its newfound environment.

“Is that some kind of Guardian?” the Sheikah inquired, looking to Link for an explanation.

“I found it here, though it was deactivated before. I have no idea what caused it to wake up.” The Sheikah sighed and shook her head

“This is all so strange,” she muttered to herself, “but we will have to see to it later.” She turned towards Link, an appreciative smile on her face. “I suppose I must thank you. What is your name, Sir Knight?”

“Link, my Lady.”

“Alright then Sir Link, my name is Impa. I was supposed to be delivering the Sheikah Slate to the princess before the battle broke out, but-” Impa was cut off by the sounds of frantic, high-pitched beeping. The Guardian was all up in a fuss, seemingly fixated by the slate in Link’s hand. She shot it an annoyed scowl, but her eyes lit up in realization when they fell upon the slate in Link's hand. "The Sheikah Slate in your hand! It's been activated!" Link brought the slate up to his face, a blue Sheikah symbol decorating the screen as it lightly pulsated.

"Purah said that the slate might have the potential to communicate with other technology, which means-"

“Lady Impa!” the Sheikah in question was interrupted by the shouts of two Hylian knights frantically speeding towards them. Link's eyes widened when he saw the kind of state they were in. Their armor was a mess. Dirt and mud was splattered across their torsos like paint, though it did little to mask the deep gashes in their armor all the same. Hints of blood could be spotted amongst the grime, though given their approach he doubted it was their own.

“Oh Lady Impa, thank goodness you’re alright! We’ve been tasked to escort…” In unison the two knights seemed to notice the gargantuan tower at the Sheikah’s back, trailing off as their urgent message was all but forgotten in loo of gawking at the structure.

" _I_ should be your last concern," Impa said, concern decorating her features, "what in Hylia's name could have done this?" Impa's questioning seemed to snap the two out of their trance, their eyes refocusing on the Sheikah.

"I-It's bad, real bad!" one replied. "A troop of Moblins took out our entire platoon, they're headed southeast! Captain Rourke told us to get you to safety before he…" the knight's gaze dropped to his boots as he trailed off.

"Hang on. I had a message for Captain Rourke from Captain Simmons. He plans to drive the monsters to the southeast."

The second knight's face went pale. "B-but if they're heading that way too then..."

"They're heading right into a trap." Impa finished. She placed her chin in her hand, eyebrows scrunched up, as ideas swam around in her head. After a moment's deliberation she turned to Link, a determined glimmer in her crimson eyes. "Then we have no choice but to intercept them ourselves."

"Will we be able to handle them?"

"We're going to have to. Can you handle a Moblin?" Link nodded in affirmation. "Then a few more should be an excellent challenge." That determined look was still there, but it was accompanied by a smile that could almost be pegged as mischievous. She turned her attention back to the two knights. "You two, get to the infirmary. Tell anyone still out there to fall back to the Castle in case things go south." The knights gave respectful nods before hurrying back to Hyrule Field, though not before they took the time to linger on the tower for a few more moments.

"Alright, now follow me. We'll cut them off at the square." The two broke out into a run, the Sheikah much more coordinated than her previous fumbling would've led Link to believe. Also notable were her footsteps, which were all but silent even in the midst of an all out sprint, no doubt due to some special form of Sheikah training. What was not silent, however, were the sounds of metallic scampering that trailed directly behind him. A quick glance behind him revealed that the little Guardian was following them, and keeping surprisingly good pace in spite of its diminutive stature. It's singular blue iris caught his own, and it seemed to catch on to Link's confusion in regards to it tailing him.

" _Beep-bwop!_ " it sounded cheerfully, a valve at the top of its head bouncing up and down enthusiastically. Link returned his attention to the path ahead. While the Guardian was certainly a perplexing curiosity, their mission took precedent. 

The innards of the Garrison were surprisingly empty, not a soul in sight to accompany the static cannons and abandoned practice targets as they raced past them. In the distance the fierce sounds of battle echoed through its abandoned walls, ringing out from its southeastern side. There was no turning back. If the Moblins got the drop on those troops the battle was lost.

They rounded a corner, and Impa shot a fist up at her side, a silent indication to stop. Doing so revealed their targets. Four Moblins were making their way across the square, marching around the fountain at its center. Three held weapons, two swinging simple wooden clubs while the other held a spiked Boko spear in its hands. The last one was left unarmed, but even a monster without a weapon was a threat to the inexperienced or otherwise, the arrogant. Impa whispered to Link over her shoulder.

"Get their attention, I’ll get behind them, hopefully split them up.”

“How will you get past them without them noticing you?” Link questioned.

“I have my ways,” she answered, that same determined, mischievous smile playing at her lips. She eyed the little Guardian who tilted its frame at her in a silent question. “Make sure it doesn’t go anywhere, and keep the slate safe,” she instructed. Link fastened the Sheikah Slate to his belt. She then brought her hands in front of her face, making a quick series of gestures, and vanished in a puff of white smoke. 

The little Guardian let out a surprised high-pitched chirp, its body swiveling from side to side as if her vanishment was some kind of sleight of hand. Link stood gaping at where Impa was just standing, his mouth slightly ajar and stunned into a momentary silence. There were always whispers around the barracks about the secretive “shadow people,” and their supposed magical abilities, but Link had never thought much of it. Well clearly not everything that escaped the privates’ mouths was superstitious drivel after all.

The unmistakable roar of a provoked Moblin brought Link back into the moment, and he realized gaining their attention was proving a much quicker task than he had thought. The four Moblins were already stalking towards him, no doubt drawn to the Guardians shrill beeping. He quickly unsheathed his sword and shield, assuming his battle stance. The Moblins didn’t seem intimidated by this, however, encircling their prey, their piercing blue eyes fixated on the lone knight standing before them. Link could do nothing but stand his ground and prey that Impa decided to make her move before they did. He didn't have to wait long to find out, as the spear-wielding Moblin licked its lips in anticipation before it drew back its spear in preparation to skewer Link on its end.

But before it got the chance Impa burst out of a puff of smoke above it, driving her kodachi between its shoulder blades. It let out a roar of pain, flailing about trying to throw Impa off its back. The unarmed Moblin reached out to grab her, but before it could she vanished once again, though this time she wasn’t gone for long. She appeared in the air above the unarmed Moblin and delivered a vicious vertical slash along its spine on her way down. 

Impa’s actions were distractions enough for the two Moblins, leaving Link to focus his attention on the other two. One seemed to anticipate his advance, as it began to swing its club wildly at the young knight. The blows were easily dodged, but he knew he was working on borrowed time. At any moment the unoccupied Moblin would notice him, and with only a basic sword and shield to defend him a two-on-one was bound to end poorly. A careless overswing by his opponent gave him the opening he needed, and he slashed at the creature’s wrist. The monster’s hide was tough enough that he didn’t cut it clean off, but the blow was effective in causing it to drop its weapon, howling in pain. This drew the attention of the Moblin who had been until then mesmerized by Impa’s continued evasion of the Moblins’ clumsy strikes, causing it to approach Link, club poised to attack. However, instead of engaging it, Link turned his attention to the Moblin clutching at its own half-severed wrist. With a low sweep of his sword he struck its knees, causing it to buckle and fall to its elbows. The second Moblin was upon him, but before it could attempt a single swing Link put his plan into action. He raced towards the downed Moblin, leaping towards it. Using his left foot as leverage Link lept into its right shoulder, using it as a stepping stool to ascend into the air. The armed Moblin watched, dumbfounded and unmoving, as Link brought his sword down upon it with a brutal slash across the chest. It howled in pain as Link landed in front of it, using the momentum from the jump to bring his sword around in a 360 spin that struck both monsters down in one decisive strike. 

Their pained howls faded as they burst into nothingness. His given foes vanquished, Link searched the courtyard for-

“ _Ah!_ ” His sword flew from his hands as he was suddenly struck across the abdomen, skidding across the ground until his back made contact with the adjacent fountain. The low growl that could be heard next clued him in to what struck him, though his mind was having a bit of trouble catching up with his aching body. His vision was blurred, though he could make out the faded image of a Moblin, spear in hand, readying itself to stab him through the chest.

_Ping! Ping! Ping!_

The sharp, succinct sounds were accompanied by brief flashes of blue that caught the Moblin's attention. The Moblin appeared to be swarmed by something, though by what exactly Link couldn't tell. But amongst the chaos he could hear a woman's voice. He shook his head, trying to will his senses back into focus. A low growl was undercut by a puff of purple smoke, a sharp metallic shing following, no doubt the sounds of sheathing a blade.

"Hey, are you alright?" the female voice asked. Link's vision finally began to refocus and he was met by the sight of Impa leaning over him, her brows furrowed in concern. Or rather, the sight of nine Impas leaning over him. They all mirrored the posture of the one right in front of him, but they were… blue? Link massaged his aching head.

"Ugh, I think I got my head hurt pretty bad. I'm still seeing multiple."

"Multi- oh! Sorry, give me a moment." Once again Impa brought her hands in front of her in a similar gesture to before, but this time it caused her doubles to blink rapidly, dematerializing and absorbing back into her, glowing blue Sheikah text accompanying the action. Link stared, wide-eyed and flabbergasted.

"I-is that some kind of Sheikah magic too?"

"Yes, though that technique is far more advanced than a simple use of teleportation magic." Link nodded dumbly, unsure of how teleportation could be classified as simple. Out of all of the training he'd done, the fighting disciplines he'd studied, the Sheikah's fighting style was in a league of its own.

"Is t-there any way that… I-I mean can you tell me how you-"

" _Beep-boop!_ " Link's stunned questioning fell out of both of their minds as the little Guardian noisily approached them, it's valve jumping up and down as it scuttled towards them. Impa fixed Link with a warm smile.

"Perhaps another time, Sir Link. For now, it seems we have other, more important matters to deal with," Impa said, her eyes drifting from the Guardian to the tower looming in the distance.

* * *

"Hmm…" Impa peered down at the little Guardian, an index finger curled around her chin and her eyebrows furrowed. She again turned her gaze upwards at the impossibly tall tower in front of her, it's pointed tip blocking out the late morning sun. Link looked on as she silently pondered, content to wait until he could escort her back to the castle. 

The whole situation was perplexing, no doubt, but it was not his place to get involved. A simple knight like himself wasn't to concern himself with the goings on of Sheikah and all of their ancient magic and technologies. After all, that would just draw more attention to himself.

The Guardian skittered about, curiously surveying the area. Maybe he was just projecting, but it appeared to have… emotions? Or at least some level of thought that was beyond what the barely functional sentinels he had seen at the castle seemed to possess. It's inquisitiveness, the way it seemed to want to explore and discover, it kind of reminded Link of himself before his knight training. When things were much simpler.

"An inexplicable Guardian… and a mysterious tower," Impa muttered to herself. Her shoulders dropped as she let out a beleaguered sigh. "I hate to say it, but we have little hope of figuring this out on our own. Maybe if we contact-"

" _Beep-beep-beep!_ " The Guardian chirped excitedly, its blue optic fixated on the Castle that rose over the horizon. It immediately scampered off, racing towards Hyrule Castle.

"Hey, what are you…" Impa tried to call out to it, but it didn't seem to want to listen. Its spindly limbs carrying its small frame incredibly quickly, and far, far away from them. "No! Stop right there!" Impa began to give chase, Link trailing close behind. By the looks of it, Link would have to wait just a bit longer before he could return to the barracks like any other knight. 

If he ever really would, that is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what's it been, like a month? I know it's all over the tags, but I still gotta apologize for taking so long to post this. Part of it was that I was busy given the holidays and everything, the other part was me playing too much Persona 5. Nevertheless, thank you for reading and I once again urge you to share your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks a ton!


	4. Burgeoning Scholar, Princess

As a dedicated soldier, Link was in no way opposed to a hard workout. Rigorous daily training from a young age was what Link owed his numerous successes over the years to, and he had come to appreciate the joy and satisfaction that bettering himself brought.

That being said, an all-out sprint from the Garrison to the main gates of Hyrule Castle in full armor was far from what he'd consider joyful or satisfactory. 

Their impromptu pursuit of the diminutive Guardian had not only been excruciating, but upon arrival, confusing. 

As Link and Impa stood, keeled over, panting and breathless at the castle gates, the object of their chase simply stood at the entrance, just beyond the lowered drawbridge. Its shimmering blue optic gazed up at the looming stronghold, carefully tracing the castle’s outline from its cobblestone foundation to its towering spires and back again.

“Ugh, lousy hunk of metal!” Impa groaned, voice thick with exhaustion and budding anger. She stormed over to the Guardian, fists clenched at her sides, eyebrow twitching. Her face was nearly as red as her eyes, which were glaring daggers down at the unresponsive automaton. "You had us tail you half-way across Central Hyrule just so you could stare at the goddess forsaken castle?!" Impa yelled, stomping her foot. The Guardian didn’t seem to care about, or even notice the Sheikah’s presence. It simply carried on staring at the castle, almost as if it were pondering something. Impa growled in frustration, two fingers rubbing at her temple in an effort to calm herself.

If he were being honest, the thought of the Royal Advisor of Hyrule having such a short temper amused Link in a way. Especially how her anger seemed to manifest in the form of childish tantrums.

“This is why I leave the technology to my sister…” Impa muttered to herself. Once she had calmed herself down enough she returned to Link’s side, though she made sure to fix the little Guardian yet another piercing stare for it to entirely ignore.

“At the very least I was already heading to the castle anyways. Might I have the slate back, Sir Link?” Impa said, holding her hand out expectantly. If Link were to be honest he had almost forgotten about the slate, but he did as he was told, unhooking the slate from his belt and dropping it into her hand.

"Thank you. Now all that's left is to give this to-"

"Impa! Thank Hylia you're alright! Did you see the tower? It's incredible!" an excited girl shouted from behind Link, her voice light and melodic. Impa's face softened as she looked past him towards the castle gate, approaching her. Link turned to follow her, his eyes widening a fraction when they met the source of their sudden interruption.

The girl wore a flowing deep blue dress, intricate patterns decorating its length, framed by an elegant golden trim. His eyes trailed up to her face, and his breath caught in his throat. Emerald green eyes shone bright with a kind of impassioned curiosity, their energy matched by her wide, radiant smile. But most eye-catching was her flowing golden hair, gleaming in the light of the sun, framing her face with a simple tiara placed on top, evocative of the kind of grace and beauty befitting...royalty.

Link's heart stopped as he suddenly realized the identity of the girl, and he immediately fell to the ground to kneel before Princess Zelda of Hyrule.

He stared intently at the ground, his arm resting on one knee, fist tightly clenched. Though he kept his expression trained, he inwardly cursed himself for openly gawking at the Princess of Hyrule. Thankfully no one was around to see, but that didn't make it any less wrong! He knew very well what the princess was supposed to look like, it seemed that every other song the court poet played at Midwinter festivals had described the princess's beauty in intricate detail. So much so that the visage they painted was almost the exact same one that graced his presence at that very moment. Such behavior towards a member of the royal family could easily get a knight thrown out of the Royal Guard!

As Link inwardly chastised himself, Impa approached the princess, a soft smile on her face. It always warmed her heart to see the princess so openly excited and unabashedly happy, her beaming smile such a rarity in these times.

“Of course your highness. And I’ve managed to receive the Sheikah Slate from Purah!” Impa said, handing the princess the slate, who’s eyes widened when she saw the flickering blue pulse emanating from the device.

“I-it’s been activated! But I thought Purah said she couldn’t get it to work!”

“That’s… the other thing I have to mention. I actually don’t fully understand it myself, but while I was trying to deliver this to you…” Impa began to explain the battle and the circumstances that led to the tower’s sudden appearance, but as she did so the little Guardian finally seemed to break its trance on the castle to follow the sound of conversation. 

Then it spotted her.

It spotted _her._

The voice it awoke to, the object of its mission. The destruction it bore witness to was connected to her, it had to be! She was the deciding factor, the key to fulfilling its goddess-given function. It had to protect everyone. It had to protect her.

Link’s eyes, trained intently on the ground as they were, nearly missed the blur of white and blue that raced past him, straight for the princess. But as distracted as he was by his own mental admonishments, he at least had the sense to stop a foreign object from attacking the Princess of Hyrule!

In one swift motion Link dove for the Guardian, cupping its ovular body in two hands, hoisting it up into the air and away from the princess.

The Guardian beeped incessantly as it wriggled within the knight's firm grasp in a fruitless attempt to escape. Impa and the princess were startled back by Link's sudden actions, Zelda's eyes wide as saucers while Impa instinctively reached for her kodachi. However, the princess's shock promptly subsided, that curious, wondrous glint returning to her eyes as she observed the automaton. 

"Ah… what is that?" she questioned, a smile growing on her face.

"Er… to be honest, we're not quite sure," Impa replied, relaxing her grip on her weapon. "We found it in the Garrison, and just about all we know is that it's activation is connected to the tower and the Sheikah Slate somehow."

"You found it in the Garrison?"

"Well technically he did," Impa said, pointing a finger at Link, still holding the Guardian out at arms length, its spindly limbs thrashing wildly about. "This is Sir Link. He helped me during the battle. I very well might not have made it out of there were it not for his help," Impa clarified.

Link froze at the sight of the princess's inquisitive eyes boring into him, suddenly very aware of the, quite frankly, enormously disrespectful position he had found himself in. 

“Um, your highness, forgive my insolence I was simply-”

“Please, there is no need to explain yourself Sir Link. Although, I believe the little one may prefer to be let down,” Zelda instructed, that bright little smile adorning her face. Without any further prompting Link lowered the Guardian to the ground. It shot out of Link’s grasp as soon as his grip loosened, proceeding to circle around the princess like a hyperactive puppy. She giggled lightly at the Guardian’s antics, crouching down to give it a once over. “Well he certainly is a peculiar little one, his behavior is unlike any Guardian I’ve seen yet. Perhaps..." the princess thought aloud, brows knitted together. She stood back up and turned to her Sheikah aid, her smile bright and her mind set.

“Impa, I propose we journey to the Royal Ancient Tech Lab. Purah and Robbie may be able to provide some insight as to the nature of our little friend here." The Guardian chirped happily at her words. If the princess truly was the key to its mission, then perhaps she could be the key to unlocking its own clouded past.

"Sir Link?" Zelda asked the knight in front of her, who seemed startled by the princess addressing him directly.

"Y-yes, your highness?"

"If you would forgive my abruptness, I must request you accompany us on our trip to the lab."

"Accompany you?" the knight repeated dumbly.

"Well of course. You discovered the Guardian and are a key eyewitness. Your information would prove to be most valuable," the princess explained cheerfully. The smile adorning her face widened, brightening her features in such a manner that the sun itself seemed dull and dim by comparison.

Now, obviously he couldn't accept. He had far too many responsibilities as a knight. His armor was covered and muck and needed a shine, his sword needed sharpening, and of course he hadn't finished his breakfast from earlier, among other highly important tasks that in no way involved the princess and her enchanting, beaming smile. Unfortunately, the answer would have to be-

"Certainly, princess."

Regrettably, while his rational mind was busy listing the plentiful reasons on why he couldn't say yes to the princess, his irrational mind was already betraying him, feeding off of the way the green in her eyes sparkled like emeralds at his affirmation. Maybe that Moblin had hit him harder than he'd thought...

"Oh, splendid! We shall move to depart within the hour!" Zelda excitedly exclaimed.

"Shall I inform his majesty of our departure?" Impa suggested. The princess's smile faded. The brightness that seemed to radiate from her stifled in an instant at the mention of the king. She clasped her hands together, thumb idly tracing patterns on the back of her hand as she silently considered the Sheikah's words.

"I-i believe he is quite busy with the troops at the moment. We shouldn't inconvenience him with something so trivial."

Impa's face fell at her words as she looked to the princess with a sympathetic frown.

"As you wish, princess," she affirmed with a brief nod. Zelda gave an appreciative smile in return before turning back to Link.

"We shall reconvene back here in an hour. I cannot thank you enough for your cooperation!"

"It is my honor to be of service," Link replied, properly bowing to the princess. The Guardian whistled in agreement, moving to follow her.

"Oh no you don't," Impa reprimanded the automaton, accusatory finger pointed in its direction. "Not just anyone goes and follows the Princess arou- _hey!_ " The little Guardian swatted her hand out of the way, causing her eyes to narrow as anger bubbled to the surface.

"Now listen here you little-"

"Perhaps it would be best if we keep it within our sights for now, Impa," the princess interjected. The Shiekah was still glaring down at the Guardian, but nevertheless complied with a silent nod.

Link looked on as the two turned to the castle, Guardian in tow, watching the sun's rays illuminate the princess's golden hair as she walked on, the morning breeze making it flow like the finest silk.

That Moblin had definitely hit him much harder than he'd thought...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally going to be part of a larger chapter, but I felt bad keeping you guys waiting for so long, so I decided to break it up a bit. Thanks a ton for taking your time to read this!

**Author's Note:**

> This is the beginning of what I intend to be an ongoing fic where I mash together the story of Age of Calamity with the memories from Breath of the Wild. It is also my very first ongoing work of fiction, so it's somewhat of a learning experience. Feel free to leave your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below, though do try to be respectful. I'd greatly appreciate it. Hopefully I'll see this through given I decided to start publishing this in the most turbulent time of my life right now.


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